Black Beauty

There are no words to fully describe what has been the most intense labor of love for San Jose. He was removed with his mare, Black Beauty, from McCollough Peaks early in 2024. These two should never have been rounded up, according the the BLM plan that was released to the public, due to their age. Too old and wild to be good candidates for adoption, they are without doubt among the most beloved mustangs in this country. We received so many emails, messages, and letters about them with the most heartfelt pleas for us to take and reunite them. We want you to know, we heard all of you.

It’s terribly sad that we couldn’t answer the people who asked us to help them. Adoptions of horses from a herd like this have to be handed very carefully. The fact is there are hateful, bitter people, who have nothing better to do with their time than try to prevent wild horses from getting a second chance at happiness and reunion with family. Regardless of the consequences, we were determined to do what was right for these two mustangs, who had spent the majority of their lives as a couple. We were committed to keeping these two senior sale authority horses together as they would have chosen to do in the wild. They have a love that we admire. We respect and honor the deep familial bonds equines form.

We won the bid on Black Beauty in the Internet adoption for the mares back in May 2024. At that time, we didn’t think we would have to keep it a secret long as the geldings would come up for auction a month later. Sadly, San Jose had difficulty recovering from the neutering process. He and another senior boy were held back and given time to heal. Finally, on September 16th, we won the bid on him and shed tears of relief and happiness.

Black Beauty entered what one follower described as the Skydog Witness Protection Program. The hatred that was hurled at the excellent home that won the bid on a foal, Thora, and several members of her family was so fierce that the owner was afraid to go and pick them up. We were asked if we would haul them to our sanctuary in secret and keep them here until the danger passed. We were happy to offer temporary refuge. Smoke and Black Beauty were protective, comforting matrons for Thora and Moon Shadow. It was our honor to give them peace and safety at Skydog until they left for their beautiful home - and it is beautiful.

Visitors asked about the black mares, but we didn’t say much other than “their stories will be told later”. At long last, we can share this story. It felt like this day was an eternity coming and our new witness protection program worked perfectly. This makes me very proud of our staff, sponsors, photographers, and vets, who knew these horses were here, but did not say a word.

San Jose is on his way. Black Beauty is waiting for him in a pen with Smoke and Las Vegas. Once he’s arrived and settled, we are looking forward to another joyful family reunion.

#skydogblackbeauty

Mustangs & Burros Need Your Help

In addition to supporting our work by donating, becoming a patron on Patreon, or sponsoring a Skydog, there are several important pieces of legislation to protect American equines currently moving through Congress. It only takes a few minutes to contact your Rep and Senators and urge them to support these bills:

Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act of 2023 (H.R. 3475 in the House / S.2307 in the Senate). This bill will shut down the slaughter pipeline that sends some 20,000 American horses and donkeys to savagely monstrous deaths in foreign slaughterhouses every year.

The Wild Horse & Burro Protection Act of 2023 (H. R. 3656) This bill will prohibit the use of helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft in the management of wild mustangs and burros on public lands, and require a report on humane alternatives to current management practices.

Ejiao Act of 2023 (H.R. 6021). To ​​ban the sale or transportation of ejiao, a gelatin made from boiling donkey skins, or products containing ejiao in interstate or foreign commerce, which brutally kills millions of donkeys primarily for beauty products and Chinese medicine.

You can Contact Members of Congress by calling the Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121‬, submitting contact forms on their individual websites, or sending one email to all three simultaneously at www.democracy.io

See our How to Help menu for other actions to ban zebra hunting at US canned hunt ranches, stop production of Premarin & other PMU drugs, and defund the Adoption Incentive Program.